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Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are available in a number of fields, involving duties such as instructor, reader, laboratory assistant and/or other teaching responsibilities. Other assistantships involve a variety of research functions, some of which are funded through various off-campus organizations for specific research purposes. Stipends vary depending upon tasks assigned and experience of the student; most assistantships also include tuition and fee reductions for all or part of the tuition costs. Incidental student fees are usually the student's responsibility. More funding information can be found on the Graduate Assistantship Funding page.

Teaching Responsibilities

Students awarded an assistantship involving any type of teaching responsibility including labs, lectures, paper grading and interpretation to students are REQUIRED to successfully complete the Graduate Teaching Orientation PRIOR to assuming their duties. The Teaching Orientation is designed to introduce Graduate Assistants to principles and issues in college teaching. In addition to the orientation, the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning offers a seminar series in the fall and spring semesters for Graduate Assistant instructors as well as a credit course that provides graduate students with a broad introduction to the teaching profession. The University of Wyoming strongly encourages all Graduate Assistants to consult with their departments to define teaching responsibilities prior to attending the teaching orientation.

Departments will have exact dates, times and locations of the orientations. As they approach, orientation details will be displayed on the Graduate Education page as well. Failure to satisfactorily attend and complete this teaching seminar may result in the cancellation of the assistantship.

International Students with Teaching Responsibilities

All international students who will have a teaching assignment must successfully complete the English Proficiency Assessment Program, in addition to the teaching seminar discussed above. Please check the English as a Second Language website as the semester approaches for dates and times of this program. Failure to pass this program may result in the cancellation of the assistantship. Departments may require students on assistantships having no teaching assignment to take and pass this program.

Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship

The standard assistantship provides payment of a basic, or full, stipend to the student payable in installments over the academic year (September through May). The base stipend for a full-time GA for a master's student is $11,700 and $16,263 for a full-time GA for a doctoral student. Graduate students who receive a full stipend are expected to work an average of 18-20 hours per week for the stipend. Units may supplement the academic year stipends to higher levels using various resources. Usually, a student who receives a full stipend must enroll for at least 9 credit hours and is considered a full-time, full-fee-paying graduate student. Students who receive one-half stipend may enroll for 9-15 credit hours. Graduate assistants for summer sessions must not enroll for more than six credit hours.

The tuition and fee reduction covers only the tuition and mandatory fees for courses in which the graduate assistant actually enrolls. Graduate assistantship tuition and fee reduction will cover up to 12 credit hours of tuition and mandatory fees. Some non-state funded GAs may only cover up to 9 credit hours or sometimes more than 12 depending on the source of funding. Students should check with their department for individual coverage.

Graduate assistants are not entitled to the difference between the amount stated in an award letter and the actual charges for enrollment. If less than a full stipend is awarded, the tuition and fee reduction is adjusted down to the percentage rate of the stipend.

Health insurance will be paid for graduate students on assistantship for the calendar year. Students may refuse the university insurance. The insurance payment, in such cases, reverts to the university.

Please check with your department of interest for Graduate Assistantship availabilities. In order to be considered for the award, they will need a completed application.